Sounds in the Round
Photograph: Stan Musilek
Virgin Electronics Boomtube EX
The small size of portable speakers for digital audio players, portable DVD players, and notebooks has limited their sound quality, largely because decent bass requires more room to resound than those compact systems are able to provide. Virgin Electronics' $199 Boomtube EX surmounts the bass hurdle with tubular aluminum speakers that deliver room-filling bass. The right and left satellite speakers unscrew from the Thermos-shaped main body, and a rechargeable battery powers the entire unit. The Boomtube EX pushes 40 watts of sound, and you can spread the satellites out for true stereo separation. And best of all, the volume control goes to 11.
The People's Robot
Photograph: Stan Musilek
Wow Wee Toys Robosapien
Sooner or later, robots may change all of our lives. Plunk down $99 for Wow Wee Toys' Robosapien, and one can change your life right now--or least make it more entertaining. If Sony's $1899 Aibo is the Lamborghini of robotic playthings, Robosapien is a humble but lovable Volks-robot. He walks, he talks, and he can even pick things up--as long as you position them very, very carefully. Most important, he's both programmable (via the included remote) and hackable. An array of Web sites chronicle the work of inventive owners who've taken soldering irons and Dremel tools to their bots to add new functionality.
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